


The Black House

by silverr



Category: Fairy Tales & Related Fandoms, Original Work, Paintings - Otto Frello
Genre: Gen, Poetry, Yuletide Treat
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-18
Updated: 2013-12-18
Packaged: 2018-01-05 02:01:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 202
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1088288
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/silverr/pseuds/silverr
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It appeared suddenly ...</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Black House

**Author's Note:**

  * For [oneiriad](https://archiveofourown.org/users/oneiriad/gifts).



> Inspired by Otto Frello's 1980 work _Der sorte hus._ [ (larger image on Frello's website)](http://www.ottofrello.dk/detsortehusstor.JPG)
> 
>  

          

           It must have appeared suddenly, overnight,  
           a dark pod simmering in the stony wasteland outside the city.  
           No one knew.  
           It would have passed unnoticed  
           if not for the children, mouths stained sapphire  
           and emerald  
           and as cinnabar as a cardinal's breast,  
           who ran back trilling of treats, of spring, of feathers.  
           The magistrates set forth their welcome, bade the soldiers knock,  
           but there was no answer. Annoyed,  
           they commanded bailiffs to lift the black cell  
           to hitch it to the jail-cart. To no avail. It was immoveable.  
           Then priests, a stream of orange fire  
           ants, seeking truth, blasphemy, sweets, each peering  
           though the dried mossy slats.  
           offering salvation, expiation, forgiveness, condemnation to  
           the smell of sour milk  
  
            _(some, a very few, confessed their sins and wept)_  
  
           until at last they huffed away, damning her to the flames.  
           The dust settled again, gilding the stones with  
           the pollen from a thousand lilies. The sly sun cast  
           a red net, pulled the coverlet of warmth from the land  
           and when the night had spread her rustling blue grey skirts  
           the witch stepped out  
           rolled her house up into the palm of her hand  
           and flew up to the moon.

.

. 

(02) 26 January 2014


End file.
